“In the end it’s the winning mentality” - Thibaut Courtois says 2 Real Madrid teammates are difficult to talk to if they lose even in training
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois claimed that his teammates Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal maintain the "winning mentality" even during the club's training sessions. The Belgian said that the duo are extremely unhappy after losing in any training drills.
Carvajal and Modric are two of the longest-tenured and most successful players in Real Madrid history. They have played significant roles in Los Blancos' prolonged success over the past decade.
The Croatian midfielder, who is the current club captain, has made 541 appearances for Los Blancos, with 39 goals and 87 assists to his name. He is also the most decorated player in club history, having lifted a staggering 27 trophies at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Carvajal graduated from the Real Madrid academy in 2012, and has spent all his career bar one season (on loan at Bayer Leverkusen in 2012-13) in the Spanish capital. He has bagged 13 goals and 65 assists in 423 appearances across all competitions, lifting a whopping 26 trophies (tied-second alongside Nacho Fernandez) with the Spanish giants.
With such impressive numbers on their resume, Courtois' revelation about the pair's competitive nature was not a bolt out of the blue. Speaking to popular Spanish E-Sports streamer Ibai Llanos on his Twitch channel, the 32-year-old said (via @MadridXtra on X):
"When (Dani) Carvajal loses a game in training you can't talk to him. Luka Modric too. In the end it's the winning mentality."
Carvajal and Modric have been on the pitch in each of Real's seven games this season - a testament to their longevity and experience at the club.
"He has the same spark" - Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois praises Luka Modric's passion for the game
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was full of praise for veteran midfielder Luka Modric's hunger and passion for the game.
The Belgian shot-stopper claimed that the legendary Croatian showcases an impressive level of quality and endurance in training, even at 39 years of age. Speaking to Llanos on Twitch, the 32-year-old said (via MadridXtra on X):
"Luka Modric? I don't know when he wants to retire, but he has incredible quality, he shows it in training. He's 39 years old but he has the same spark. He can run for 90 minutes if necessary."
Modric recently penned a one-year contract extension, keeping him at Real Madrid until the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign. However, with young superstars like Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham ahead of him in the pecking order, he will likely continue to feature off the bench.